life

5 on a Friday: Gratitude Edition

July 16, 2021

1- That each day offers an opportunity to start fresh. Whether it’s brain chemistry, sleep itself, or caffeine, I always feel better in the morning.

today’s fresh start

(And each week/month/year — even more opportunity!)

2- That if we find something toxic from a comparison standpoint, we don’t have to look at it!

Yep, toxic.
Especially when you keep going back to look at your old house which has apparently doubled in value since you sold it in 2019.

No one is making you follow influencers or scroll Zillow <– this has become a habit for me as of late, but it is not serving me whatsoever so I am going to stop.

3- That Josh is off this weekend! For those counting, that makes 3 weekends in a row (a rarity). The streak will end after that, but it’s still really nice.

4- Podcasts. I really love this medium. So much free content and the ability to hear different voices that inspire, teach, and share.

5- Vaccines (especially COVID vaccines). Cases are skyrocketing in FL but as a Vaccinated Person I still feel safe. It’s still sad, particularly as the spread and spike in this area was entirely preventable, but I remain incredibly grateful that there are vaccines that work against this (#*$@ diseases and that I live in a country where they are available to all (well, all over 12!).

12 Comments

  • Reply Mommy Attorney July 16, 2021 at 8:50 am

    Which planner is this? I’m having planner indecision….

    • Reply Sarah Hart-Unger July 16, 2021 at 9:43 am

      Full focus! See my “planning tools page”, i think I have a link there!

  • Reply Brenda July 16, 2021 at 9:20 am

    I’m obsessed with podcasts, too! And the vax. I’m so grateful to science but am dismayed that it’s surrounded by so much controversy.

  • Reply Lisa of Lisa's Yarns July 16, 2021 at 9:27 am

    Yay for the vaccination! Our case rates look really good here in Minnesota, comparatively, because we have a high % of vaccinated people. It’s really sad that vaccination rates vary based on how your state or county voted. 🙁 I wish vaccines and covid in general had not been so political. From podcasts I’ve listened to, that is more of a US phenomenon and not something experienced in other countries – at least not to the extent here. I’m just glad that within my family, people are vaccinated regardless of their political affiliation!

    Zillow can be a bad comparison trap! Good idea to identify it as something you shouldn’t look at. I have tried to stay off real estate sites after buying this house because I don’t want buyer’s remorse. My husband still looks, though, because he hates our lot (we are on a hill). But he does not want to move so I don’t think that habit serves him… We looked for our house for over 2 years so I have no desire to repeat that process and really love our house and am willing to put up with a not-ideal yard/lot but it’s something he just can’t get over (but didn’t hate enough to prevent him from buying the house – probably because it checked nearly every other box).

  • Reply Hilary July 16, 2021 at 2:05 pm

    Thank you for previously referencing the Arthur Brooks episode on “What’s Essential”. Just finished it and am very glad I spent the time to hear his ideas. Very refreshing take on things. Cheers to Friday!

  • Reply Sara B. July 16, 2021 at 7:31 pm

    Thank you for inspiring me with your gratitude list! It has been such a hard week – I love teaching residents but 3 weeks into orientation month is where I start to feel really tired, plus CoVID is surging here and I got called in to work for a vaccinated colleague with a CoVID test. And our school district voted “masks optional” for all students – mine are 6 and 3 so hopefully Pfizer will be approved for that age group in the earlier fall and not the late winter. But, we started giving CoVID vaccines in the ER, and I convinced 7 people to be vaccinated (and one who said I convinced her to go with her teenage daughter after she left), so that’s how I’ll start my gratitude list today.

    • Reply Sarah Hart-Unger July 16, 2021 at 7:32 pm

      WOW for convincing 7 people! That is amazing (and very valuable work!)

  • Reply Tierney July 16, 2021 at 7:55 pm

    Oh, the Zillow happiness suck. I know it well. I actually reference you as a happy non-homeowner when my husband laments that we’re in our 40s and don’t own. We’re likely going to buy in Silicon Valley, which is even more depressing given how crazy insane (redundant but fits) the house prices are here.

    • Reply Sarah Hart-Unger July 16, 2021 at 8:38 pm

      And I AM a happy non-homeowner (though slightly terrified that the inflated market will drive up our rent. Hoping not too much or I will not be as happy!)

      But seriously our luck in real estate DOES NOT make me want to buy. Haha.

  • Reply Mrs. Candid July 16, 2021 at 11:17 pm

    YAY for podcasts …
    Here in India, we had a terrible second wave, and the scientists are predicting a 3rd wave in a month. My family (except my kid) is fully vaccinated, but because of the country’s huge population, only 5.7 percent is fully vaccinated and around 23 percent have received at least 1 dose. We still have a long way to go.. At least things are moving in the right direction now, and there is good awareness among people, so that gives some hope.
    Happy weekend 🙂

  • Reply Ana July 17, 2021 at 10:34 am

    I am very relieved I am vaccinated, but I am starting to worry more about my kids. I really hope the younger kids will be eligible by this fall. I’m sure it won’t be by the time school starts, though, which is what I’d initially been hoping for.
    My older son wants a COVID shot for his birthday in December (but was clear to state that that would be in ADDITION to other gifts, not instead of, lol).
    And yes, I do love podcasts. Such a great way to learn something or be entertained while commuting or doing mundane tasks. I don’t listen to audiobooks much because I can’t concentrate on those, but have no problems with podcasts and listen to something most days.

    • Reply Sarah Hart-Unger July 17, 2021 at 12:19 pm

      Our school starts in August so we definitely won’t have shots before school starts unfortunately. Getting a vax for his birthday (or even before then!) would be awesome!

      I’m guessing A&C will be eligible before G? But I haven’t read anything definitive.

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